1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Wedding Band. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
Wedding Band is set in a small town in 1918 South Carolina. The play takes place in the backyard of three different houses. The main characters are Julia, Fanny, Mattie, and Lula. These characters are all black and all neighbors. Julia is moving into the newer of the three houses.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? NOTE: Arguments might be made for several different points where stasis is broken. Be prepared to defend your point of view, if different from other students.
The intrusion for Wedding Band occurs when Herman becomes ill from the spanish influenza. This caused the women to contact his mother which makes Herman's mother and Julia interact with one another which is a tense situation since his mother did not know that Herman was dating a black woman.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day that Julia is moving into this new house which makes her an outsider in this new community.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Herman survive this illness?
Will Julia and Herman make it to NY?
Will Julia and Herman be able to legally get married?
5. Use Julia to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual or individuals, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles in the play.
Julia wants to be married to Herman. This desire causes her to face the huge obstacle of overcoming society. She must overcome what is considered sinful and against nature during that time in order to be able to legally marry one another. This obstacle is one that is not easily overcame. Both Julia and Herman must depend on one another in order to get what they desire so much.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Wedding Band.
The most dramatic scene is Herman collapsing from his illness
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Wedding Band. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The first image in Wedding Band is the wedding band around Julias neck. This is one of the more powerful images in the play in my opinion. This is because the wedding band is not on her finger. Instead it is next to heart. This tells the audience that something is not quite right. It serves almost as a warning that something bad will happen to either her or Herman. The second image is Julia's house. This is because the house is considered to be the nicer/newer house of the three sharing the backyard. This shows that Julia is the newest addition to the community. The final image is the lost quarter. This is because it represents the current wealth of black people in both that area and in that time.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Wedding Band.
Poverty
Interracial Marriages
Race
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Wedding Band? Perhaps you might argue for several different kinds of family in this particular play. What do you think?
Family is still a large part of this play even though Julia and Herman cannot marry. Even if they cannot be legally together they still act and feel like family. They love one another and will do anything in order to stay by their side and take care of one another.
Wedding Band is set in a small town in 1918 South Carolina. The play takes place in the backyard of three different houses. The main characters are Julia, Fanny, Mattie, and Lula. These characters are all black and all neighbors. Julia is moving into the newer of the three houses.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? NOTE: Arguments might be made for several different points where stasis is broken. Be prepared to defend your point of view, if different from other students.
The intrusion for Wedding Band occurs when Herman becomes ill from the spanish influenza. This caused the women to contact his mother which makes Herman's mother and Julia interact with one another which is a tense situation since his mother did not know that Herman was dating a black woman.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day that Julia is moving into this new house which makes her an outsider in this new community.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Herman survive this illness?
Will Julia and Herman make it to NY?
Will Julia and Herman be able to legally get married?
5. Use Julia to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual or individuals, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles in the play.
Julia wants to be married to Herman. This desire causes her to face the huge obstacle of overcoming society. She must overcome what is considered sinful and against nature during that time in order to be able to legally marry one another. This obstacle is one that is not easily overcame. Both Julia and Herman must depend on one another in order to get what they desire so much.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Wedding Band.
The most dramatic scene is Herman collapsing from his illness
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Wedding Band. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The first image in Wedding Band is the wedding band around Julias neck. This is one of the more powerful images in the play in my opinion. This is because the wedding band is not on her finger. Instead it is next to heart. This tells the audience that something is not quite right. It serves almost as a warning that something bad will happen to either her or Herman. The second image is Julia's house. This is because the house is considered to be the nicer/newer house of the three sharing the backyard. This shows that Julia is the newest addition to the community. The final image is the lost quarter. This is because it represents the current wealth of black people in both that area and in that time.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Wedding Band.
Poverty
Interracial Marriages
Race
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Wedding Band? Perhaps you might argue for several different kinds of family in this particular play. What do you think?
Family is still a large part of this play even though Julia and Herman cannot marry. Even if they cannot be legally together they still act and feel like family. They love one another and will do anything in order to stay by their side and take care of one another.